Stoking mechanism.



WITN ESSES n) ul- V//////// INVENTOR Pm t d F w.. MccLAvE. n e eb 20 |960 STOKING MECHANISM.

' (Application filed Oct. 14, 1899.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet A2.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE. y

W'ILLIAM MCCLAVE, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

*sToKlNe MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,882, dated February 20, 1906-.

Application led October 14, 1899.

T0 (LZZ whom it may col/worn.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoCLAvE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stoking Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in stokers for furnaces, and particularly to that class of stokers which employ hoppers for feeding fuel to the top of theinclined grates.

It consists ina hopper having an oscillating pusher mounted therein, means for oscillating the said pusher, comprising a pivoted member, means for connecting the member with the said pusher, and means for rocking the member, whereby the pusher is moved back and forth.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through a hopper, the dead-plate, and the front of a furnace provided with a stoker constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 represents a detail front view of the member for actuating the pusher, and Fig. 4 represents a detail sectional view illustrating a differentway of mounting the said member.

1 in the drawings represents a hopper mounted upon the front 2 of a furnace, the bottom of the said hopper opening at the top of the dead-plate 3. The hopper 1 is preferably constructed as described and claimed by me in Patent No. 631,901, dated August 29, 1899. The pusher 4 is also constructed in the same manner as described in the patent referred to and is suspended by arms 5 from a supporting-shaft 6, mounted near the backv wall of the hopper. The pusheri is adapted to move in a curved casing, as 7, the floor of which leads to the top of the dead-plate 3. In order to oscillate the pusher 4, I connect the same by means of a rod or pitman 8 with Serial No. 733,574. (No model.)

a member 9, which is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 10, secured to the front of the hopper 1. The rod or pitman 8 is preferably pivotally secured to the pusher about midway of its length, at one end, and extends outwardly through a slot l1, formed in the casing 7, the said slot being preferably closed by means of a slide 12, as is illustrated in Fig. 1. The other end of the pitman 8 is preferably bifurcated and adapted to engage journals 13 13, formed upon each side of a movingblock 14:. The rod 8 is preferably provided with a right-and-left screw-section, as 15, by which it may be readily made to fit in its proper place between the pusher 4 and the member 9. The member 9 is made with a central opening or slot, longitudinally of which is mounted a' screw, as 16, having a bearing at the upper and lower ends of the said link. The lower end of the screw eX- tends through the lower end of the member 9 and is provided with a hand operatingwheel, as 17, by means of which the screw may be turned. By turning the screw in one direction or the other the block 14 may be moved to either end of the member 9 or to any intermediate point, so as to regulate the amount of throw given to the pusher e. The member 9 is provided with outwardly-extending trunnions or journals, as 18 18, which engage journal-bearings, as 19, formedin remov-A ablepieces 20, secured to the bracket 10. The journal-pieces 2O are made removable in order that the member 9 may be put in place in the bracket 10 or removed therefrom. While the trunnions 18 may be located at any suitable point along the length of the member 9, they are preferably located about centrally of the said member, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.

In order to actuate the member 9, I preferably connect the lower .end thereof with a member or arm 21, secured upon a rock-shaft 22, which is mounted upon the front of the furnace. In connecting the two members I preferably use a bar or link, as 23, bifurcated at its upper and lower ends. The. upper bifurcated portion is provided with journalbearings adapted to engage journals, as 24 24, secured to the member 9. The lower bifurcated portion of the link 23 is also provided with journal-bearings adapted to en- IOO gage journals 25, secured to the arm or member 21. The rock-shaft 22 is mounted upon suitable brackets upon the furnace-front and is caused to rock back and forth by any suitable power' mechanism. (Not shown.) When the power-shaft is rocked, the member 21 will impart a rocking movement to the member 9 by means of the link 23, and the member 9 will in turn impart an oscillating movement to the pnsher4 to feed the fuel from the bottom of the hopper onto the dead-plate.

The member 21 is used to actuate rocking grate-bar mechanism, (not shown in the present drawings;) but it will be apparent-that an arm or other lever secured to the shaft 21 might be connected with the member 9 by means of a link for imparting movement thereto. I generally prefer to move the pusher 4 with the pitman 8 atthe upper end of the member 9, as it forces the fuel upon the grate at a better time during the operation of the grate-bars than when the pitman is at the lower end of the link. It will be seen that by moving the block 14 back and forth upon the screw 16 the amount of throw given to the pusher may be regulated as desired and that by bringing the block 14 opposite the trunnions 18 18 the pusher may be held stationary even though the member 9 continues to rock. By means of the handwheel 17 the position of the block 14 in the member 9 may be altered without stopping the operation of the mechanism.

It will be observed that the member 9 is mounted upon the hopper with its fiat side toward the same, the trunnions being arranged upon the outer edges of the said open member. This construction is quite important, as it enables me to reach the block on the screw without embracing any portion of the link itself. Thus the block can easily be moved between the said trunnions to bring the pusher at a standstill whether the trunnions be arranged near the central portion of the link or near each end thereof. The mounting of the member 9 with the trunnions near the central portion enables me to accomplish another important result. iVhen the block is adjusted above the fulcrum-points, the pusher is operated to correspond with one movement of the grate-bars of the furnace; but when it is desired to operate the pusher at a different time with relation to the movement of the said grate-bars it can be accomplished by dropping the block below the trunnions supporting the member. This is only made possible by using an open member and arranging the trunnions at points intermediate its ends.

As seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the pusher-actuating member may be pivotally mounted at its upper end by placing the supporting-trunnions, as 26, at that end of the member. The pitman connecting the member with the pusher will then always be at or below the pivotal point of the member 9 and may be adjusted to any intermediate point in the said member, as heretofore described, all within the scope of the present invention.

I find that the means above described for oscillatinga pusher is particularly Well adapted for stoking a furnace, especially as said pusher is moved back and forth by a connection with its body portion, and it is therefore not likely to be twisted so as to produce a binding action at any point.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a Stoker for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of a swinging pusher mounted in the said hopper, means for moving the said pusher back and forth, comprising one or more pivoted links, means for rocking the said links, and means for connecting the pusher with either end of the links or intermediate parts thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a stoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of an oscillating pusher mounted therein, means for moving the said pusher comprising a member pivoted upon the front of the hopper, apitman adapted to connect the said pusher with either end of the member or an intermediate part thereof, a rock-shaft for imparting motion to the member, and a link connecting the said member with the said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

3,. In a stoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a hopper, of an oscillating pusher pivotally suspended therein, means for oscillating the said pusher, comprising a member pivoted in a bracket upon the front of the hopper, a` rod or pitman pivotallyconnectin g the said member with the central portion of the pusher, the said member being provided with trunnions about centrally of its length upon which it is pivotally mounted in the said bracket, a screw mounted in the said member, a block engaging the said screw and pivotally connected with a pitman or rod, and means for rocking the said member upon its trunnions for impart-ing an oscillating movement to the pusher, the structure being such that the amount of movement given to the pusher can be regulated by the position of said block in the said member and by bringing the said block opposite the trunnions, the pusher will remain stationary without stopping the actuating mechanism, substantially as described.

4. In a stoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of an oscillating pusher mounted therein, a rocking member for actuating the said pusher comprising an open link having trunnions upon its outer sides, a screw mounted longitudinally of the said member, a hand-wheel for operating the said screw, a block moving upon said screw, a rod engaging said block within the walls of the link and connecting it with the pusher, and means for rocking the said link, the construction being such that by IOO IIO

turning the screw, the block may be adj usted to different positions in the member for regulating the amount of throw given to the pusher, and may be brought opposite to the trunnions for holding the pusher stationary without stopping the actuating mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a stoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of an oscillating pusher mounted therein, a rocking member for actuating the said pusher provided with trunnions upon its sides, a bracket secured to the front of the hopper and provided With outwardly-extendin g arms, removable journal-pieces for engaging the said trunnions secured to the said arms, whereby the member may be mounted between the sides of the bracket, a screw mounted in the said member,a block engaging the said screw, a rod engaging the said block within the walls of the link and connecting it with the pusher, said block being thus adapted to be placed opposite the trunnions or upon either side thereof, and means for rocking the member upon its trunnions for imparting an oscillating movement to the pusher, substantially as described.

6. In a stoking mechanism for f urnaces,the

vcombination with a hopper,of a pusher mounted therein, rocking members pivotally mounted upon the front of the hopper, trunnions for supporting the said members, the said trunnions being located about centrally of their length, screws mounted longitudinally of the said members, blocks traveling upon the said screws and pivotally connected with the pusher; means for rotating the said screws and means for rocking the members, the construction being such that by turning the screws, the blocks may be so moved thereon as to impart a greater or less throw to the pusher or may be brought opposite to the trunnions of the members so as to hold the pusher stationary, substantially as described.

7. In astoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of a swinging pusher mounted in said hopper, a rocking member for moving the said pusher, adjustable means for connecting the pusher with either end of the link or any intermediatc portion of the same,a power-shaft mounted on the front of the furnace and provided with an arm or member, a link connecting the rocking member with an arm on the shaft, whereby motion will be imparted through said member to the swinging pusher, substantially as described.

8. In a stoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a hopper, of a pusher mounted therein, a rocking member mounted upon the front of the hopper with one of its open sides toward the furnace, and connected with the said pusher, trunnions for supporting the said member arranged upon its outer edges at a point intermediate its ends, a link having bifurcated ends, one end being journaled upon journals secured to the said member, the other end of the said link being bifurcated and journaled upon an arm on the rock-shaft, and a rock-shaft carrying the said arm, the construction being such that the motion of the rock-shaft will be imparted by mea-ns of the rocking member, to the oscillating pusher, substantially as described.

9. In astoking mechanism for furnaces, the combination with a suitable hopper, of a swinging pusher mounted therein, a rocking member for moving the said pusher, said member being formed with an opening extending from near one end to nearly the other end, the said opening being thus surrounded by a metallic strip, trunnions mounted upon the outer edges of the said member at points opposite the central open portion, a screw mounted in the said member, and a block adapted to be moved thereon by the rotation of the said screw, said block being capable of traveling in the said opening from one end thereof to the other, a link connecting the member with the said pusher, said link being bifurcated so as to embrace the block but not to embrace any portion of the link, where'- by the block may be brought opposite to the trunnions for stopping the action of the pusher, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

VILLIAM MCOLAVE.

Witnesses:

A. V. Bowan, M A. SoMMAR.' 

